Federal authorities toppled a major gun trafficking operation intended to arm Mexican drug cartels with over 100 “military-grade” firearms, according to court documents.

Five men were arrested on March 20 and accused of illegally buying weapons throughout Texas to allegedly smuggle them across the border. 

“These firearms included FNH SCAR rifles, Barrett .50 caliber rifles, FNH M294S rifles, and M1919 rifles, all of which are highly prized by Mexican drug trafficking cartels for their firepower and battlefield reliability,” the federal criminal complaint says. 

“They are symbols of cartel profit, power, and prestige due in part to their high price to purchase and operate … Mexican drug trafficking cartels use these weapons to engage in battle with their enemies and exert control over their claimed territory.”

Mendoza allegedly sold at least 22 guns for $169,900 between December 2022 and March 2023, the criminal complaint says. 

The scheme began to unravel in late January 2023, when federal firearm licensees in San Antonio denied a sale because of “suspicious circumstances of the attempted purchase,” according to court documents. 

Mendoza – who allegedly sold the guns – along with two suspected straw purchasers, Ibarra and Corona, were arrested and charged last March. 

Perez Jr., the alleged ringleader, and Casarez, who is accused of smuggling the guns across the border, were arrested last September in Laredo, Texas, where law enforcement found a large cache of weapons and over hundreds of rounds of ammunition. 

The suspects – all 30 or younger – face a 14-count federal indictment. 

If convicted, the conspiracy to traffic firearms charges carry a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and conspiracy to straw purchase guns carries a maximum sentence of 25 years.